Multiplexer, transmission apparatus, and reception apparatus

ABSTRACT

A multiplexer includes filters and a common terminal connected to an antenna element by a connection path, a first inductance element being connected between the connection path and a reference terminal. A terminal closer to the antenna element among an input terminal and an output terminal of one filter among the filters is connected to a parallel resonator and is connected to the common terminal with a second inductance element interposed therebetween. A terminal closer to the antenna element among an input terminal and an output terminal of each of other filters other than the one filter among the filters is connected to the common terminal and a series resonator.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority to Japanese PatentApplication No. 2017-024258 filed on Feb. 13, 2017 and Japanese PatentApplication No. 2018-004030 filed on Jan. 15, 2018. The entire contentsof these applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a multiplexer, a transmissionapparatus, and a reception apparatus that include elastic wave filters.

2. Description of the Related Art

Recent cellular phones are required to support a plurality of frequencybands and a plurality of wireless communication schemes, so-called,multi-bands and multi-modes with a single terminal. To meet suchrequirements, a multiplexer that demultiplexes a high-frequency signalhaving a plurality of radio carrier frequencies is disposed right undera single antenna. Elastic wave filters that characteristically have lowloss in a pass band and sharp band pass characteristics around the passband are used as a plurality of band pass filters included in such amultiplexer.

International Publication No. 2016/208670 discloses a surface acousticwave (SAW) device (SAW duplexer) including a plurality of SAW filtersthat are connected to one another. Specifically, an inductance elementis connected in series between an antenna element and a connection pathof an antenna terminal and reception and transmission SAW filters toachieve impedance matching between the antenna element and the antennaterminal. With this inductance element, complex impedance obtained byviewing capacitive SAW filters from the antenna terminal to which thecapacitive SAW filters are connected is successfully adjusted toapproach the characteristic impedance. In this way, degradation ofinsertion loss is successfully prevented.

However, in the case of impedance matching of the related art that isachieved by connecting an inductance element in series to an antennaterminal, the Q factor of the series-connected inductance elementgreatly influences insertion loss. For example, when an inductanceelement having a low Q factor such as an inductance element disposed ina package is used, insertion loss degrades in the pass band of eachfilter. In particular, insertion loss of a filter (Band 25 receptionfilter, for example) for which an inductance element is connected inseries between the filter and the antenna terminal defining andfunctioning as a common terminal degrades in the pass band more thaninsertion loss of a filter not including such an inductance element.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide multiplexers,transmission apparatuses, and reception apparatuses that are able tosignificantly reduce insertion loss in a pass band of each filter evenwhen an inductance element with a low Q factor is included.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, amultiplexer that transmits and receives a plurality of high-frequencysignal via an antenna element includes a plurality of elastic wavefilters that provide pass bands different from one another, and a commonterminal that is connected to the antenna element by a connection path,a first inductance element being connected between the connection pathand a reference terminal, in which each of the plurality of elastic wavefilters includes at least one of a series resonator connected between aninput terminal and an output terminal of the elastic wave filter, and aparallel resonator connected between the reference terminal and aconnection path connecting the input terminal and the output terminal toeach other, a terminal closer to the antenna element among the inputterminal and the output terminal of one elastic wave filter among theplurality of elastic wave filters is connected to the parallel resonatorand is connected to the common terminal with a second inductance elementinterposed therebetween, and a terminal closer to the antenna elementamong the input terminal and the output terminal of each of otherelastic wave filters other than the one elastic wave filter among theplurality of elastic wave filters is connected to the common terminaland the series resonator.

With the features described above, since the first inductance element isconnected between the reference terminal and the connection path of thecommon terminal and the antenna element and is not connected in seriesbetween the common terminal and the antenna element, there is noresistance component that is connected in series to each of the filters.Thus, the influence of the Q factor of the first inductance element onimpedance matching is small. Consequently, insertion loss in the passband of each elastic wave filter included in the multiplexer issignificantly reduced even when an inductance element with a low Qfactor is included.

In addition, the second inductance element may be connected to theterminal of the one elastic wave filter that is closer to the antennalelement, so that impedance in bands other than a pass band of the oneelastic wave filter may become inductive.

With the features described above, complex impedance is successfullyadjusted to characteristic impedance easily by the relationship ofcomplex conjugates. Thus, insertion loss in the pass band of eachelastic wave filter included in the multiplexer is easily significantlyreduced.

In addition, the first inductance element and the second inductanceelement may be included in a mounting substrate on which the pluralityof elastic wave filters are mounted.

With the features described above, insertion loss in the pass band ofeach elastic wave filter included in the multiplexer is significantlyreduced even when an inductance element disposed in the mountingsubstrate and with a low Q factor is included.

In addition, a direction in which a wiring defining the first inductanceelement is wound may be identical to a direction in which a wiringdefining the second inductance element is wound in the mountingsubstrate.

With the features described above, since mutual inductance is causedbetween the first inductance element and the second inductance element,areas occupied by the first inductance element and the second inductanceelement in plan view are significantly reduced on the mounting substratein which the first inductance and the second inductance are disposed.

In addition, characteristic impedance R+jX [Ω] viewed from the commonterminal of all the plurality of elastic wave filters before the firstinductance element is connected may satisfy about 40≤R≤about 60 andabout −40≤X<about 0.

With the features described above, impedance matching is successfullyprovided without degrading insertion loss of each elastic wave filter.

In addition, each of another elastic wave filter that is to be isolatedfrom the one elastic wave filter among the plurality of elastic wavefilters may include a third inductance element connected in series orparallel to a terminal opposite to the terminal closer to the antennaelement.

With the features described above, isolation of the elastic wave filterincluding the third inductance element is successfully increased bycoupling between the third inductance element and the other inductanceelements.

In addition, complex impedance in a predetermined pass band providedwhen the one elastic wave filter is viewed through the second inductanceelement in a state in which the second inductance element and theterminal closer to the antenna element among the input terminal and theoutput terminal of the one elastic wave filter are connected in seriesto each other and complex impedance in the predetermined pass bandprovided when the other elastic wave filters other than the one elasticwave filter are viewed from the terminals closer to the antenna elementto which the common terminal is connected in a state in which theterminals closer to the antenna element among the input terminals andthe output terminals of the other elastic wave filters other than theone elastic wave filter are connected to the common terminal may includea relationship of complex conjugates.

With the features described above, complex impedance viewed from thecommon terminal of the multiplexer that includes a circuit including acombination of a circuit in which the second inductance element and theone elastic wave filter are connected in series to each other and acircuit in which the other elastic wave filters other than the oneelastic wave filter are connected to the common terminal to be inparallel to one another is successfully adjusted to match characteristicimpedance while ensuring low insertion losses in the pass bands. Inaddition, complex impedance of the multiplexer viewed from the commonterminal is successfully fine-adjusted toward an inductive side byconnecting the first inductance element with a small inductance value inparallel between the common terminal and the antenna element.

In addition, a first filter with the highest center frequency among theplurality of elastic wave filters may include the shortest wiringdisposed between the first filter and the common terminal in themounting substrate, and a second filter with the lowest center frequencyamong the other elastic wave filters other than the one elastic wavefilter among the plurality of elastic wave filters may include thelongest wiring disposed between the second filter and the commonterminal in the mounting substrate.

The influence of an increase in the length of the wiring disposedbetween the second filter with the lowest center frequency and thecommon terminal on insertion loss of the second filter is small, andinsertion loss of the first filter with the highest center frequency issensitively influenced by the length of the wiring disposed between thefirst filter and the common terminal. Thus, with the features describedabove, a multiplexer in which good impedance matching is provided at thecommon terminal and the first filter with the highest center frequencyincludes good insertion loss is successfully implemented.

In addition, when the wiring of the second filter with the lowest centerfrequency is long, the frequency of the attenuation pole that occurs onthe higher frequency side of the pass band due to the inductancecomponent and the capacitance component in the mounting substrate movesto the lower frequency side. Thus, with the features described above,isolation characteristics are significantly improved between the secondfilter and another filter with a higher center frequency than the secondfilter.

In addition, a length of the wiring of the second filter in the mountingsubstrate may be less than about λ/4.

With the features described above, the occurrence of a standing wave issignificantly reduced or prevented in the wiring disposed between thesecond filter with the lowest center frequency and the common terminal.

In addition, a piezoelectric substrate included in each of the pluralityof elastic wave filters may include a piezoelectric film includinginterdigital transducer electrodes on one surface thereof, ahigh-acoustic-velocity supporting substrate through which a bulk wavepropagates at an acoustic velocity higher than an acoustic velocity ofan elastic wave that propagates through the piezoelectric film, and alow-acoustic-velocity film that is disposed between thehigh-acoustic-velocity supporting substrate and the piezoelectric filmand through which a bulk wave propagates at an acoustic velocity lowerthan the acoustic velocity of the elastic wave that propagates throughthe piezoelectric film.

A circuit element, for example, an inductance element or a capacitanceelement, is added to provide impedance matching between the plurality ofelastic wave filters, for example, in the case where the secondinductance element is connected in series to the common terminal of theone elastic wave filter. In such a case, the Q factor of each resonatoris expected to equivalently reduce. However, with the multilayerstructure of the piezoelectric substrate, the Q factor of each resonatoris successfully maintained at a high value. Thus, an elastic wave filterproviding a low loss in the pass band is successfully created.

In addition, the multiplexer may include, as the plurality of elasticwave filter, a first elastic wave filter that provides a first pass bandand that outputs a transmission signal to the antenna element, a secondelastic wave filter that provides a second pass band adjacent to or in avicinity of the first pass band and that receives a reception signalfrom the antenna element, a third elastic wave filter that provides athird pass band lower than the first pass band and the second pass bandand that outputs a transmission signal to the antenna element, and afourth elastic wave filter that provides a fourth pass band higher thanthe first pass band and the second pass band and that receives areception signal from the antenna element; and the one elastic wavefilter to which the second inductance element is connected in series maybe at least one of the second elastic wave filter and the fourth elasticwave filter.

In addition, according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, a transmission apparatus that receives a plurality ofhigh-frequency signals with carrier frequency bands different from oneanother, performs filtering on the plurality of high-frequency signals,and wirelessly transmits a resultant signal from a single antennaelement includes a plurality of transmission elastic wave filters eachof which receives the plurality of high-frequency signals from atransmission circuit and passes therethrough a signal of a predeterminedfrequency band, and a common terminal connected to the antenna elementby a connection path, a first inductance element being connected betweenthe connection path and a reference terminal, in which each of theplurality of transmission elastic wave filters includes at least one ofa series resonator connected between an input terminal and an outputterminal of the transmission elastic wave filter, and a parallelresonator connected between the reference terminal and a connection pathconnecting the input terminal and the output terminal to each other, anoutput terminal of one transmission elastic wave filter among theplurality of transmission elastic wave filters is connected to theparallel resonator and is connected to the common terminal with a secondinductance element interposed therebetween, the second inductanceelement being connected to the output terminal and the common terminal,and an output terminal of each of other transmission elastic wavefilters other than the one transmission elastic wave filter is connectedto the common terminal and is connected to the series resonator amongthe series resonator and the parallel resonator.

In addition, according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, a reception apparatus that receives a plurality ofhigh-frequency signals with carrier frequency bands different from oneanother via an antenna element, performs demultiplexing on the pluralityof high-frequency signals, and outputs resultant signals to a receptioncircuit includes a plurality of reception elastic wave filters each ofwhich receives the plurality of high-frequency signals from the antennaelement and passes therethrough a signal of a predetermined frequencyband, and a common terminal connected to the antenna element by aconnection path, a first inductance element being connected between theconnection path and a reference terminal, in which each of the pluralityof reception elastic wave filters includes at least one of a seriesresonator connected between an input terminal and an output terminal ofthe reception elastic wave filter, and a parallel resonator connectedbetween the reference terminal and an electrical path connecting theinput terminal and the output terminal to each other, an input terminalof one reception elastic wave filter among the plurality of receptionelastic wave filters is connected to the parallel resonator and isconnected to the common terminal with a second inductance elementinterposed therebetween, the second inductance element being connectedto the input terminal and the common terminal, and an input terminal ofeach of other reception elastic wave filters other than the onereception elastic wave filter is connected to the common terminal and isconnected to the series resonator among the series resonator and theparallel resonator.

In addition, according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, an impedance matching method for a multiplexer that transmitsand receives a plurality of high-frequency signals via an antennaelement, includes a step of adjusting a plurality of elastic wavefilters with pass bands different from one another that provides, whenone elastic wave filter among the plurality of elastic wave filters isviewed from one of an input terminal and an output terminal of the oneelastic wave filter, a complex impedance in the pass bands of otherelastic wave filters other than the one elastic wave filter among theplurality of elastic wave filters is in a short state and, when each ofthe other elastic wave filters is viewed from one of an input terminaland an output terminal of the other elastic wave filter, compleximpedance in the pass band of the other elastic wave filter is in anopen state; a step of adjusting an inductance value of afilter-adjustment inductance element that provides a complex impedancewhen the one elastic wave filter is viewed from the filter-adjustmentinductance element side in a case where the filter-adjustment inductanceelement is connected in series to the one elastic wave filter and acomplex impedance when the other elastic wave filters are viewed fromthe common terminal in a case where the other elastic wave filters areconnected to the common terminal to be in parallel to one anotherprovide a relationship of complex conjugates; and a step of adjusting aninductance value of an antenna-adjustment inductance element connectedbetween the reference terminal and a connection path connecting theantenna element and the common terminal to each other that provides acomplex impedance, viewed from the common terminal, of a combinedcircuit in which the one elastic wave filter is connected to the commonterminal with the filter-adjustment inductance element interposedtherebetween and the other elastic wave filters are connected to thecommon terminal to be in parallel to one another matches characteristicimpedance, in which in the step of adjusting the plurality of elasticwave filters, among the plurality of elastic wave filters each of whichincludes at least one of a series resonator connected between an inputterminal and an output terminal of the elastic wave filter, and aparallel resonator connected between the reference terminal and anelectrical path connecting the input terminal and the output terminal toeach other, the parallel resonator is connected to the filter-adjustmentinductance element in the one elastic wave filter, and the seriesresonator is connected to the common terminal among the parallelresonator and the series resonators in each of the other elastic wavefilters.

With the features described above, a low-loss transmission apparatus anda low-loss reception apparatus in which insertion loss in a pass band ofeach filter is significantly reduced are provided even when aninductance element with a low Q factor is included.

With the multiplexer, the transmission apparatus, and the receptionapparatus according to the preferred embodiments of the presentinvention, insertion loss in the pass band of each filter issignificantly reduced even when an inductance element with a low Qfactor is included.

The above and other elements, features, steps, characteristics andadvantages of the present invention will become more apparent from thefollowing detailed description of the preferred embodiments withreference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a circuit of a multiplexer according toa first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A to 2C are a plan view and cross-sectional views schematicallyillustrating a resonator of a SAW filter according to the firstpreferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3A is a diagram illustrating a circuit of a Band 25 transmissionfilter included in the multiplexer according to the first preferredembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating a circuit of a Band 25 receptionfilter included in the multiplexer according to the first preferredembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3C is a diagram illustrating a circuit of a Band 66 transmissionfilter included in the multiplexer according to the first preferredembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3D is a diagram illustrating a circuit of a Band 66 receptionfilter included in the multiplexer according to the first preferredembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view illustrating electrodes of alongitudinally-coupled SAW filter according to the first preferredembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5A is a plan view illustrating an example of an arrangement ofpiezoelectric substrates included in transmission filters and receptionfilters of the multiplexer according to the first preferred embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of thearrangement of the piezoelectric substrates included in the transmissionfilters and the reception filters of the multiplexer according to thefirst preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6A is a plan view illustrating an arrangement of a first inductanceelement and a second inductance element included in the multiplexeraccording to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention onone of layers of a mounting substrate.

FIG. 6B is a plan view illustrating the arrangement of the firstinductance element and the second inductance element included in themultiplexer according to the first preferred embodiment of the presentinvention on another layer of the mounting substrate.

FIG. 6C is a plan view illustrating the arrangement of the firstinductance element and the second inductance element included in themultiplexer according to the first preferred embodiment of the presentinvention on another layer of the mounting substrate.

FIG. 6D is a plan view illustrating the arrangement of the firstinductance element and the second inductance element included in themultiplexer according to the first preferred embodiment of the presentinvention on another layer of the mounting substrate.

FIG. 7A is a graph in which band pass characteristics of the Band 25transmission filter according to the first preferred embodiment of thepresent invention are compared with band pass characteristics of a Band25 transmission filter according to a comparative example.

FIG. 7B is a graph in which band pass characteristics of the Band 25reception filter according to the first preferred embodiment of thepresent invention are compared with band pass characteristics of a Band25 reception filter according to the comparative example.

FIG. 7C is a graph in which band pass characteristics of the Band 66transmission filter according to the first preferred embodiment of thepresent invention are compared with band pass characteristics of a Band66 transmission filter according to the comparative example.

FIG. 7D is a graph in which band pass characteristics of the Band 66reception filter according to the first preferred embodiment of thepresent invention are compared with band pass characteristics of a Band66 reception filter according to the comparative example.

FIG. 8A is a Smith chart illustrating complex impedance viewed from atransmission output terminal of the Band 25 transmission filteraccording to the first preferred embodiment of the present inventionalone.

FIG. 8B is a Smith chart illustrating complex impedance viewed from areception input terminal of the Band 25 reception filter according tothe first preferred embodiment of the present invention alone.

FIG. 8C is a Smith chart illustrating complex impedance viewed from atransmission output terminal of the Band 66 transmission filteraccording to the first preferred embodiment of the present inventionalone.

FIG. 8D is a Smith chart illustrating complex impedance viewed from areception input terminal of the Band 66 reception filter according tothe first preferred embodiment of the present invention alone.

FIG. 9 illustrates a Smith chart of complex impedance viewed from acommon terminal of a circuit alone in which all the filters other thanthe Band 25 reception filter according to the first preferred embodimentof the present invention are connected to the common terminal to be inparallel to one another and a Smith chart of complex impedance viewedfrom an inductance element of a circuit alone in which the Band 25reception filter according to the first preferred embodiment of thepresent invention and the inductance element are connected in series toeach other.

FIG. 10A is a Smith chart illustrating complex impedance viewed from acommon terminal of a circuit in which the four filters according to thefirst preferred embodiment of the present invention are connected to thecommon terminal to be in parallel to one another.

FIG. 10B is a Smith chart illustrating complex impedance in the casewhere the four filters according to the first preferred embodiment ofthe present invention are connected to the common terminal to be inparallel to one another and an inductance element is connected between areference terminal and a connection path of the common terminal and anantenna element.

FIG. 11 is a Smith chart illustrating a range of complex impedanceviewed from the antenna element in the case where the inductance elementis connected between the reference terminal and a connection path of theantenna element and the common terminal of the multiplexer according tothe first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating insertion loss of the multiplexeraccording to the first preferred embodiment of the present inventionwhen the real part of the characteristic impedance is changed.

FIG. 13A is a Smith chart illustrating a change in complex impedanceviewed from the common terminal of the multiplexer when the real part ofthe characteristic impedance is set to about 40Ω and the capacitancevalue of the filter is changed in the multiplexer according to the firstpreferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13B is a Smith chart illustrating a change in complex impedanceviewed from the common terminal of the multiplexer when the real part ofthe characteristic impedance is set to about 50Ω and the capacitancevalue of the filter is changed in the multiplexer according to the firstpreferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13C is a Smith chart illustrating a change in complex impedanceviewed from the common terminal of the multiplexer when the real part ofthe characteristic impedance is set to about 60Ω and the capacitancevalue of the filter is changed in the multiplexer according to the firstpreferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a plan view illustrating an example of an arrangement ofpiezoelectric substrates included in transmission filters and receptionfilters of a multiplexer according to a comparative example of a secondpreferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15A is a plan view illustrating wiring patterns of the multiplexeraccording to the comparative example of the second preferred embodimentof the present invention on one of layers of a mounting substrate.

FIG. 15B is a plan view illustrating wiring patterns of the multiplexeraccording to the comparative example of the second preferred embodimentof the present invention on another layer of the mounting substrate.

FIG. 15C is a plan view illustrating wiring patterns of the multiplexeraccording to the comparative example of the second preferred embodimentof the present invention on another layer of the mounting substrate.

FIG. 15D is a plan view illustrating wiring patterns of the multiplexeraccording to the comparative example of the second preferred embodimentof the present invention on another layer of the mounting substrate.

FIG. 16A is a graph in which band pass characteristics of a Band 25transmission filter according to the second preferred embodiment of thepresent invention are compared with band pass characteristics of a Band25 transmission filter according to the comparative example.

FIG. 16B is a graph in which band pass characteristics of a Band 25reception filter according to the second preferred embodiment of thepresent invention are compared with band pass characteristics of a Band25 reception filter according to the comparative example.

FIG. 16C is a graph in which band pass characteristics of a Band 66transmission filter according to the second preferred embodiment of thepresent invention are compared with band pass characteristics of a Band66 transmission filter according to the comparative example.

FIG. 16D is a graph in which band pass characteristics of a Band 66reception filter according to the second preferred embodiment of thepresent invention are compared with band pass characteristics of a Band66 reception filter according to the comparative example.

FIG. 17A is a Smith chart illustrating complex impedance viewed from atransmission output terminal of the Band 25 transmission filteraccording to the second preferred embodiment of the present inventionalone.

FIG. 17B is a Smith chart illustrating complex impedance viewed from atransmission output terminal of the Band 25 transmission filteraccording to the comparative example of the second preferred embodimentof the present invention alone.

FIG. 18A is a Smith chart illustrating complex impedance viewed from areception input terminal of the Band 25 reception filter according tothe second preferred embodiment of the present invention alone.

FIG. 18B is a Smith chart illustrating complex impedance viewed from areception input terminal of the Band 25 reception filter according tothe comparative example of the second preferred embodiment of thepresent invention alone.

FIG. 19A is a Smith chart illustrating complex impedance viewed from atransmission output terminal of the Band 66 transmission filteraccording to the second preferred embodiment of the present inventionalone.

FIG. 19B is a Smith chart illustrating complex impedance viewed from atransmission output terminal of the Band 66 transmission filteraccording to the comparative example of the second preferred embodimentof the present invention alone.

FIG. 20A is a Smith chart illustrating complex impedance viewed from areception input terminal of the Band 66 reception filter according tothe second preferred embodiment of the present invention alone.

FIG. 20B is a Smith chart illustrating complex impedance viewed from areception input terminal of the Band 66 reception filter according tothe comparative example of the second preferred embodiment of thepresent invention alone.

FIG. 21 is a Smith chart illustrating a change in complex impedanceviewed from a common terminal of the multiplexer when the length of awiring disposed between the common terminal and each of the filters ischanged.

FIG. 22 is a graph in which band pass characteristics of the Band 66transmission filter according to the second preferred embodiment of thepresent invention are compared with band pass characteristics of theBand 66 transmission filter according to the comparative example.

FIG. 23A is a diagram illustrating a multiplexer according to a firstmodification of the first and second preferred embodiments of thepresent invention.

FIG. 23B is a diagram illustrating a multiplexer according to a secondmodification of the first and second preferred embodiments of thepresent invention.

FIG. 24 is an operation flowchart describing an impedance matchingmethod for the multiplexer according to the first and second preferredembodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described indetail below with reference to the drawings. Each of the preferredembodiments described below is a general or specific example. Numericvalues, shapes, materials, components, and arrangements and connectionsof the components included in the preferred embodiments below are merelyexamples and do not limit the present invention. Among the componentsdescribed in the following preferred embodiments, components that arenot recited in the independent claims will be described as optionalcomponents. The dimensions and dimensional ratios of the components inthe drawings are not necessarily precise.

First Preferred Embodiment

In a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, a quadplexerfor Band 25 (transmission pass band: about 1850 MHz to about 1915 MHz,reception pass band: about 1930 MHz to about 1995 MHz) and Band 66(transmission pass band: about 1710 MHz to about 1780 MHz, receptionpass band: about 2010 MHz to about 2200 MHz) according to the TimeDivision Long Term Evolution (TD-LTE) standard will be described as anexample.

That is, a multiplexer 1 according to the first preferred embodiment isa quadplexer in which a Band 25 duplexer and a Band 66 duplexer areconnected to each other via a common terminal 50.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a circuit of the multiplexer 1according to the first preferred embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 1,the multiplexer 1 includes transmission filters 11 and 13, receptionfilters 12 and 14, an inductance element 21 (defining and functioning asa second inductance element), the common terminal 50, transmission inputterminals 10 and 30, and reception output terminals 20 and 40. Themultiplexer 1 is connected to an antenna element 2 via the commonterminal 50. An inductance element 31 (defining and functioning as afirst inductance element) is connected between ground defining andfunctioning as a reference terminal and a connection path of the commonterminal 50 and the antenna element 2. Note that the inductance element31 may be included in the multiplexer 1 as a single package or may bedisposed outside the multiplexer 1, for example, on or in a substrate onwhich at least one of the transmission filters 11 and 13 and thereception filters 12 and 14 included in the multiplexer 1 is disposed.

The transmission filter 11 is an unbalanced-input-unbalanced-output bandpass filter (defining and functioning as a first elastic wave filter)that receives a transmission wave generated by a transmission circuit(for example, a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) via thetransmission input terminal 10, performs filtering on the transmissionwave by a transmission pass band of Band 25 (about 1850 MHz to about1915 MHz: defining and functioning as a first pass band), and outputsthe resultant transmission wave to the common terminal 50.

The reception filter 12 is an unbalanced-input-unbalanced-output bandpass filter (defining and functioning as a second elastic wave filter)that receives a reception wave input from the common terminal 50,performs filtering on the reception wave by a reception pass band ofBand 25 (about 1930 MHz to about 1995 MHz: defining and functioning as asecond pass band), and outputs the resultant reception wave to thereception output terminal 20. In addition, the inductance element 21 isconnected in series between the reception filter 12 and the commonterminal 50. As a result of the inductance element 21 being connected onthe common terminal 50 side of the reception filter 12, impedances ofthe transmission filters 11 and 13 and the reception filter 14, whichprovide pass bands outside the pass band of the reception filter 12,become inductive.

The transmission filter 13 is a unbalanced-input-unbalanced-output bandpass filter (defining and functioning as a third elastic wave filter)that receives a transmission wave generated by a transmission circuit(for example, an RFIC) via the transmission input terminal 30, performsfiltering on the transmission wave by a transmission pass band of Band66 (about 1710 MHz to about 1780 MHz: defining and functioning as athird pass band), and outputs the resultant transmission wave to thecommon terminal 50.

The reception filter 14 is an unbalanced-input-unbalanced-output bandpass filter (defining and functioning as a fourth elastic wave filter)that receives a reception wave input from the common terminal 50,performs filtering on the reception wave by a reception pass band ofBand 66 (about 2010 MHz to about 2200 MHz: defining and functioning as afourth pass band), and outputs the resultant reception wave to thereception output terminal 40.

The transmission filters 11 and 13 and the reception filter 14 aredirectly connected to the common terminal 50.

Note that the position at which the inductance element is connected isnot limited to the position between the reception filter 12 and thecommon terminal 50. The inductance element 21 may be connected in seriesbetween the reception filter 14 and the common terminal 50.

Now, a structure of SAW resonators included in the transmission filters11 and 13 and the reception filters 12 and 14 will be described.

FIGS. 2A to 2C are diagrams schematically illustrating a resonatorincluded in a SAW filter according to the first preferred embodiment.Specifically, FIG. 2A is a plan view, and FIGS. 2B and 2C arecross-sectional views taken along the dot-dash line illustrated in FIG.2A. FIGS. 2A to 2C are a schematic plan view and schematiccross-sectional views illustrating a structure of a series resonatorincluded in the transmission filter 11 among a plurality of resonatorsincluded in the transmission filters 11 and 13 and the reception filters12 and 14. Note that the series resonator illustrated in FIGS. 2A to 2Cis included only as one example of a structure of the plurality ofresonators, and the number and length of electrode fingers of eachelectrode are not limited to the illustrated number and length.

A resonator 100 included in each of the transmission filters 11 and 13and the reception filters 12 and 14 includes a piezoelectric substrate 5and interdigital transducer (IDT) electrodes 101 a and 101 b including acomb shape.

A pair of IDT electrodes 101 a and 101 b that oppose each other asillustrated in FIG. 2A are disposed on the piezoelectric substrate 5.The IDT electrode 101 a includes a plurality of electrode fingers 110 athat are parallel or substantially parallel to one another and a busbarelectrode 111 a that connects the plurality of electrode fingers 110 ato one another. The IDT electrode 101 b includes a plurality ofelectrode fingers 110 b that are parallel or substantially parallel toone another and a busbar electrode 111 b that connects the plurality ofelectrode fingers 110 b to one another. The pluralities of electrodefingers 110 a and 110 b are provided in a direction perpendicular orsubstantially perpendicular to an X-axis direction.

IDT electrodes 54, which are defined by the pluralities of electrodefingers 110 a and 110 b and the busbar electrodes 111 a and 111 b,include a structure in which a close-contact layer 541 and a mainelectrode layer 542 are stacked as illustrated in FIG. 2B.

The close-contact layer 541 is a layer that strengthens the contactbetween the piezoelectric substrate 5 and the main electrode layer 542.For example, Ti is included as a material of the close-contact layer541. The close-contact layer 541 includes a film thickness of about 12nm, for example.

For example, Al containing about 1% of Cu is included as a material ofthe main electrode layer 542. The main electrode layer 542 includes afilm thickness of about 162 nm, for example.

A protection layer 55 covers the IDT electrodes 101 a and 101 b. Theprotection layer 55 is a layer intended to protect the main electrodelayer 542 from the outside environment, adjust the frequency-temperaturecharacteristics, and increase the humidity resistance. The protectionlayer 55 is a film including silicon dioxide as a primary component, forexample. The protection layer 55 is disposed on a piezoelectric film 53and the IDT electrodes 54 along the uneven surface defined by thepiezoelectric film 53 and the IDT electrodes 54 and includes a thicknessof about 25 nm, for example.

Materials of the close-contact layer 541, the main electrode layer 542,and the protection layer 55 are not limited to the materials describedabove. In addition, the IDT electrodes 54 need not necessarily includethe layered structure. The IDT electrodes 54 may include a metal oralloy of Ti, Al, Cu, Pt, Au, Ag, or Pd, for example, or of a pluralityof multilayer bodies that include the metal or alloy. In addition, theprotection layer 55 may be omitted.

A layered structure of the piezoelectric substrate 5 will be describednext.

As illustrated in FIG. 2C, the piezoelectric substrate includes ahigh-acoustic-velocity supporting substrate 51, a low-acoustic-velocityfilm 52, and the piezoelectric film 53. The piezoelectric substrate 5includes a structure in which the high-acoustic-velocity supportingsubstrate 51, the low-acoustic-velocity film 52, and the piezoelectricfilm 53 are stacked in this order.

The piezoelectric film 53 incudes 50° Y-X LiTaO₃ piezoelectric singlecrystal (i.e., lithium tantalate single crystal that is cut at a planeincluding, as the normal, an axis rotated from the Y axis by 50° withthe X axis being the central axis and through which a surface acousticwave propagates in the X-axis direction) or piezoelectric ceramics. Thepiezoelectric film 53 includes a thickness of about 600 nm, for example.Note that the piezoelectric film 53 including 42°-to-45° Y-X LiTaO₃piezoelectric single crystal or piezoelectric ceramics is included inthe transmission filter 13 and the reception filter 14.

The high-acoustic-velocity supporting substrate 51 is a substrate thatsupports the low-acoustic-velocity film 52, the piezoelectric film 53,and the IDT electrodes 54. The high-acoustic-velocity supportingsubstrate 51 is a substrate through which a bulk wave propagates at anacoustic velocity higher than that of an elastic wave, for example, asurface acoustic wave or a boundary wave, that propagates through thepiezoelectric film 53. The high-acoustic-velocity supporting substrate51 confines a surface acoustic wave within a portion where thepiezoelectric film 53 and the low-acoustic-velocity film 52 are stackedso that the surface acoustic wave does not leak to a portion below thehigh-acoustic-velocity supporting substrate 51. Thehigh-acoustic-velocity supporting substrate 51 is, for example, asilicon substrate and includes a thickness of about 200 μm, for example.

The low-acoustic-velocity film 52 is a film through which a bulk wavepropagates at an acoustic velocity lower than that of an elastic wavethat propagates through the piezoelectric film 53. Thelow-acoustic-velocity film 52 is disposed between the piezoelectric film53 and the high-acoustic-velocity supporting substrate 51. With thisstructure and a property of an elastic wave that energy of an elasticwave concentrates at a low-acoustic-velocity medium, energy of a surfaceacoustic wave is significantly reduced or prevented from leaking tooutside of the IDT electrodes 54. The low-acoustic-velocity film 52 is afilm including silicon dioxide as a primary component, for example, andincludes a thickness of about 670 nm, for example.

The above-described layered structure of the piezoelectric substrate 5is able to significantly increase the Q factor at a resonant frequencyand an anti-resonant frequency, compared with a structure of the relatedart in which a piezoelectric substrate defined by a single layer isincluded. That is, since SAW resonators with a high Q factor aresuccessfully fabricated, a filter providing small insertion loss is ableto be fabricated by SAW resonators.

A circuit element, for example, an inductance element or a capacitanceelement, is added to provide impedance matching between a plurality ofSAW filters, for example, in the case where the inductance element 21for impedance matching is connected in series on the common terminal 50side of the reception filter 12. As a result, the Q factor of theresonator 100 is expected to equivalently reduce. However, even in sucha case, the above-described layered structure of the piezoelectricsubstrate 5 is able to maintain the Q factor of the resonator 100 at ahigh value. Thus, a SAW filter that implements low loss in the pass bandis successfully fabricated.

Note that the high-acoustic-velocity supporting substrate 51 may includea structure in which a supporting substrate and a high-acoustic-velocityfilm through which a bulk wave propagates at an acoustic velocity higherthan that of an elastic wave, for example, a surface acoustic wave or aboundary wave, that propagates through the piezoelectric film 53 arestacked. In this case, a substrate including a piezoelectric body, forexample, sapphire, lithium tantalate, lithium niobate, or quartz; ofceramics, for example, alumina, magnesia, silicon nitride, aluminumnitride, silicon carbide, zirconia, cordierite, mullite, steatite, orforsterite; of a dielectric, for example, glass; of a semiconductor, forexample, silicon or gallium nitride; or of a resin is able to beincluded as the supporting substrate. In addition, varioushigh-acoustic-velocity materials, for example, aluminum nitride,aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, aDLC film, or diamond; a medium including one of the above materials as aprimary component; or a medium including a mixture of some of the abovematerials is able to be included as the high-acoustic-velocity film.

In FIGS. 2A and 2B, “λ” denotes the pitch of each of the pluralities ofelectrode fingers 110 a and 110 b respectively defining the IDTelectrodes 101 a and 101 b, “L” denotes an overlapping width of the IDTelectrodes 101 a and 101 b, “W” denotes a width of each of the electrodefingers 110 a and 110 b, “S” denotes a width between each of theelectrode fingers 110 a and its adjacent electrode finger 110 b, and “h”denotes a height of the IDT electrodes 101 a and 101 b.

Circuit configurations of the filters will be described below withreference to FIGS. 3A to 6D.

FIG. 3A is a diagram illustrating a circuit of the Band 25 transmissionfilter 11 included in the multiplexer 1 according to the first preferredembodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 3A, the transmission filter 11includes series resonators 101 to 105, parallel resonators 151 to 154,and inductance elements 141, 161, and 162 for matching.

The series resonators 101 to 105 are connected in series to one anotherbetween the transmission input terminal 10 and a transmission outputterminal 61. In addition, the parallel resonators 151 and 154 areconnected between the reference terminal (ground) and respective nodesbetween the series resonators 101 to 105 to be in parallel to oneanother. With the above-described connections of the series resonators101 to 105 and the parallel resonators 151 to 154, the transmissionfilter 11 is a ladder band pass filter.

The inductance element 141 is connected in series between thetransmission input terminal 10 and the series resonator 101. Theinductance element 141 defines and functions as a third inductanceelement. The transmission filter 11 that is preferably isolated from thereception filter 12 to which the inductance element 21 (described later)is connected includes the inductance element 141 that is connected inseries to the transmission input terminal 10 located on the sideopposite to the side where the common terminal 50 connected to theantenna element 2 is located. Note that the inductance element 141 maybe connected in parallel to the transmission input terminal 10, that is,between the reference terminal and a connection path of the transmissioninput terminal 10 and the series resonator 101. With the inductanceelement 141, isolation of the transmission filter 11 is successfullyincreased by coupling between the inductance element 141 and the otherinductance elements 161 and 162.

The inductance element 161 is connected between the reference terminaland a node among the parallel resonators 152, 153, and 154. Theinductance element 162 is connected between the reference terminal andthe parallel resonator 151.

The transmission output terminal 61 is connected to the common terminal50 (see FIG. 1). In addition, the transmission output terminal 61 isconnected to the series resonator 105 and is not directly connected toany of the parallel resonators 151 to 154.

FIG. 3C is a diagram illustrating a circuit of the Band 66 transmissionfilter 13 included in the multiplexer 1 according to the first preferredembodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 3C, the transmission filter 13includes series resonators 301 to 304, parallel resonators 351 to 354,and inductance elements 361 to 363 to perform matching.

The series resonators 301 to 304 are connected in series to one anotherbetween the transmission input terminal 30 and a transmission outputterminal 63. The parallel resonators 351 to 354 are connected betweenthe reference terminal (ground) and respective nodes between thetransmission input terminal 30 and the series resonators 301 to 304.With the above-described connections of the series resonators 301 to 304and the parallel resonators 351 to 354, the transmission filter 13 is aladder band pass filter. In addition, the inductance element 361 isconnected between the reference terminal and a node between the parallelresonators 351 and 352. The inductance element 362 is connected betweenthe reference terminal and the parallel resonator 353. The inductanceelement 363 is connected between the transmission input terminal 10 andthe series resonator 301. The inductance element 363 defines andfunctions as a third inductance just like the inductance element 141 ofthe transmission filter 11 described above. The inductance element 363may be connected in parallel to the transmission input terminal 30, thatis, between the reference terminal and a connection path of thetransmission input terminal 30 and the series resonator 301.

The transmission output terminal 63 is connected to the common terminal50 (see FIG. 1). In addition, the transmission output terminal 63 isconnected to the series resonator 304 and is not connected directly toany of the parallel resonators 351 to 354.

FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of the Band 25reception filter 12 included in the multiplexer 1 according to the firstpreferred embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 3B, the reception filter 12includes a longitudinally-coupled SAW filter unit, for example. Morespecifically, the reception filter 12 includes a longitudinally-coupledfilter unit 203, a series resonator 201, and parallel resonators 251 to253.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view illustrating electrodes of thelongitudinally-coupled filter unit 203 according to the first preferredembodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the longitudinally-coupled filterunit 203 includes IDTs 211 to 215, reflectors 220 and 221, an input port230, and an output port 240.

Each of the IDTs 211 to 215 is defined by a pair of IDT electrodes thatoppose each other. The IDTs 212 and 214 sandwich the IDT 213 in theX-axis direction. The IDTs 211 and 215 sandwich the IDTs 212 to 214 inthe X-axis direction. The reflectors 220 and 221 sandwich the IDTs 211to 215 in the X-axis direction. The IDTs 211, 213, and 215 are connectedbetween the input port 230 and the reference terminal (ground) to be inparallel to one another. The IDTs 212 and 214 are connected between theoutput port 240 and the reference terminal to be in parallel to eachother.

In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 3B, the series resonator 201 and theparallel resonators 251 and 252 define a ladder filter.

A reception input terminal 62 is connected to the common terminal 50(see FIG. 1) with the inductance element 21 (see FIG. 1) interposedtherebetween. In addition, the reception input terminal 62 is connectedto the parallel resonator 251 as illustrated in FIG. 3B.

FIG. 3D is a diagram illustrating a circuit of the Band 66 receptionfilter 14 included in the multiplexer 1 according to the first preferredembodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 3D, the reception filter 14 includesseries resonators 401 to 405, parallel resonators 451 to 454, and aninductance element 461 to perform matching.

The series resonators 401 to 405 are connected in series to one anotherbetween the reception output terminal 40 and a reception input terminal64. The parallel resonators 451 to 454 are connected between thereference terminal (ground) and respective nodes between the seriesresonators 401 to 405 to be in parallel to one another. With theabove-described connections of the series resonators 401 to 405 and theparallel resonators 451 to 454, the reception filter 14 is a ladder bandpass filter. In addition, the inductance element 461 is connectedbetween the reference terminal and a node among the parallel resonators451 to 453.

The reception input terminal 64 is connected to the common terminal 50(see FIG. 1). In addition, the reception input terminal 64 is connectedto the series resonator 405 and is not directly connected to theparallel resonator 454 as illustrated in FIG. 3D.

The arrangements of the resonators and the circuit elements of the SAWfilters included in the multiplexer 1 according to the first preferredembodiment are not limited to the arrangements described for thetransmission filters 11 and 13 and the reception filters 12 and 14according to the first preferred embodiment. The arrangements of theresonators and the circuit elements of the SAW filters change dependingon requirements regarding the band pass characteristics in respectivefrequency bands (Bands). The term “arrangements” recited herein refersto the numbers of series resonators and parallel resonators to beincluded and a filter to be selected, for example, a ladder structure ora longitudinally-coupled structure.

Among the arrangements of the resonators and the circuit elements of theSAW filters included in the multiplexer 1 according to the firstpreferred embodiment, major characteristics of preferred embodiments ofthe present invention are as follows: (1) Each of the transmissionfilters 11 and 13 and the reception filters 12 and 14 includes at leastone of a series resonator and a parallel resonator; (2) The receptioninput terminal 62 of the reception filter 12, which defines andfunctions as one elastic wave filter, is connected to the commonterminal 50 with the inductance element 21 interposed therebetween andis connected to the parallel resonator 251; and (3) The transmissionoutput terminals 61 and 63 of the transmission filters 11 and 13 and thereception input terminal 64 of the reception filter 14, the transmissionfilters 11 and 13 and the reception filter 14 defining and functioningas other elastic wave filters other than the reception filter 12, areconnected to the common terminal 50 and are respectively connected tothe series resonators 105, 304, and 405 among the series resonators andthe parallel resonators.

That is, the multiplexer 1 according to the first preferred embodimentinclude a plurality of SAW filters providing pass bands different fromone another; the common terminal 50 connected to the antenna element 2by a connection path, the inductance element 31 being connected betweenthe reference terminal and the connection path; and the inductanceelement 21 connected in series between the common terminal 50 and thereception input terminal 62 of the reception filter 12 which defines andfunctions as one elastic wave filter.

Each of the plurality of SAW filters includes at least one of a seriesresonator that includes IDT electrodes disposed on the piezoelectricsubstrate 5 and is connected between the input terminal and the outputterminal, and a parallel resonator that includes IDT electrodes disposedon the piezoelectric substrate 5 and is connected between the referenceterminal and an electrical path that connects the input terminal and theoutput terminal to each other. In addition, the reception input terminal62 of the reception filter 12 among the plurality of SAW filters isconnected to the common terminal 50 with the inductance element 21interposed therebetween and is connected to the parallel resonator 251.On the other hand, the transmission output terminals 61 and 63 of thetransmission filters 11 and 13 and the reception input terminal 64 ofthe reception filter 14 are connected to the common terminal 50 and arerespectively connected to the series resonators 105, 304, and 405 andare not connected to the parallel resonator.

In addition, the inductance element 31 is connected between thereference terminal and the connection path of the common terminal 50 andthe antenna element 2 and is not connected in series between the commonterminal 50 and the antenna element 2. Since there is no resistancecomponent connected in series to each filter, the influence of the Qfactor of the inductance element 31 on impedance matching is small.Thus, the multiplexer with the above-described major characteristicssignificantly reduces insertion loss in the pass band of each filterincluded in the multiplexer 1 even when an inductance element with a lowQ factor is included.

FIG. 5A is a plan view illustrating an example of an arrangement of thetransmission filters 11 and 13 and the reception filters 12 and 14 ofthe multiplexer 1 according to the first preferred embodiment. FIG. 5Bis a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of the arrangement ofthe transmission filters 11 and 13 and the reception filters 12 and 14of the multiplexer 1 according to the first preferred embodiment. FIG.5B is a cross-sectional view taken along line VB-VB illustrated in FIG.5A.

As illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B, a piezoelectric substrates 11 a and13 a respectively included in the transmission filters 11 and 13 andpiezoelectric substrates 12 a and 14 a respectively included in thereception filters 12 and 14 are mounted on a mounting substrate 6 in themultiplexer 1.

More specifically, the piezoelectric substrates 11 a, 12 a, 13 a, and 14a are mounted on the mounting substrate 6 by soldering 7 as illustratedin FIG. 5B.

In addition, the common terminal 50 is disposed on a surface of themounting substrate 6 opposite to the surface on which the piezoelectricsubstrates 11 a, 12 a, 13 a, and 14 a are mounted, to be close to oneend of the mounting substrate 6 as illustrated in FIG. 5A. Thepiezoelectric substrates 11 a and 14 a are located side by side with thecommon terminal 50 interposed therebetween to be close to the one endthat is closest to the common terminal 50. In addition, thepiezoelectric substrates 12 a and 13 a are located side by side to beclose to another end opposing the one end that is closest to the commonterminal 50. That is, the piezoelectric substrates 11 a and 14 a arelocated closer to the common terminal 50 than the piezoelectricsubstrates 12 a and 13 a. Note that the arrangement of the piezoelectricsubstrates 11 a, 12 a, 13 a, and 14 a is not limited to that illustratedin FIG. 5A, and the piezoelectric substrates 11 a, 12 a, 13 a, and 14 amay be provided in other arrangements or structural configurations.

In addition, a sealing resin 8 is disposed on the mounting substrate 6to cover the piezoelectric substrates 11 a, 12 a, 13 a, and 14 a. Thesealing resin 8 is a heat-curable or UV-curable resin.

FIGS. 6A to 6D are plan views illustrating an arrangement of theinductance elements 21 and 31 included in the multiplexer 1 according tothe first preferred embodiment on one layer and other layers of themounting substrate 6.

The mounting substrate 6 includes a multiplayer structure in which aplurality of printed circuit board layers are stacked. Wiring patternsand vias are provided on the plurality of printed circuit board layers.For example, the mounting substrate 6 includes a first layer 6 a, asecond layer 6 b, a third layer 6 c, and a fourth layer 6 d asillustrated in FIGS. 6A to 6D. A wiring pattern 7 a and a via 8 a aredisposed on the first layer 6 a. A wiring pattern 7 b and a via 8 b aredisposed on the second layer 6 b. A wiring pattern 7 c and a via 8 c aredisposed on the third layer 6 c. A wiring pattern 7 d and a via 8 d aredisposed on the fourth layer 6 d.

In addition, the mounting substrate 6 includes therein the inductanceelements 21 and 31. The mounting substrate 6 also includes therein theinductance elements included in the transmission filters 11 and 13 andthe reception filter 14. Portions of the inductance elements 21 and 31are disposed on the second layer 6 b, the third layer 6 c, and thefourth layer 6 d as wiring patterns as illustrated in FIGS. 6B to 6D.The inductance elements 21 and 31 are formed by stacking the secondlayer 6 b, the third layer 6 c, and the fourth layer 6 d and byconnecting the wiring patterns of the inductance elements 21 and 31 onthe second layer 6 b and the third layer 6 c and on the third layer 6 cand the fourth layer 6 d to each other.

Wirings of the inductance elements 21 and 31 are wound in a same orsubstantially a same direction as illustrated in FIGS. 6B to 6D. Thewinding directions of the wirings of the inductance elements 21 and 31are (clockwise or counterclockwise) directions in which the wiringpatterns of the inductance elements 21 and 31 are wound when the wiringpatterns are traced from the first layer 6 a to the fourth layer 6 d inplan view of the mounting substrate 6 viewed from the first layer 6 a.With the features described above, the inductance elements 21 and 31provide mutual inductance. Thus, areas occupied by the inductanceelements 21 and 31 in plan view are significantly reduced on themounting substrate 6.

Now, an operation principle of a ladder SAW filter according to thefirst preferred embodiment will be described.

For example, each of the parallel resonators 151 to 154 illustrated inFIG. 3A provides a resonant frequency frp and an anti-resonant frequencyfap (>frp) in resonance characteristics thereof. In addition, each ofthe series resonators 101 to 105 provides a resonant frequency frs andan anti-resonant frequency fas (>frs>frp) in resonance characteristicsthereof. Although the resonant frequencies frs of the series resonators101 to 105 are designed to be equal or substantially equal to oneanother, the resonant frequencies frs are not necessarily equal to oneanother. Similar features apply to the anti-resonant frequencies fas ofthe series resonators 101 to 105, the resonant frequencies frp of theparallel resonators 151 to 154, and the anti-resonant frequencies fap ofthe parallel resonators 151 to 154. That is, the resonant frequencies orthe anti-resonant frequencies are not necessarily equal to one another.

To create a band pass filter by a ladder arrangement of resonators, theanti-resonant frequency fap of the parallel resonators 151 to 154 is setclose to the resonant frequency frs of the series resonators 101 to 105.Consequently, a band around the resonant frequency frp at whichimpedance of the parallel resonators 151 to 154 approaches 0 becomes alower-frequency-side stop band. If the frequency increases from thelower-frequency-side stop band, impedance of the parallel resonators 151to 154 increases around the anti-resonant frequency fap and impedance ofthe series resonators 101 to 105 approaches 0 around the resonantfrequency frs. Consequently, a band substantially between theanti-resonant frequency fap and the resonant frequency frs becomes asignal pass band in a signal path from the transmission input terminal10 to the transmission output terminal 61. Further, if the frequencyincreases to approach the anti-resonant frequency fas, impedance of theseries resonators 101 to 105 increases. Consequently, a band around theanti-resonant frequency fas becomes a higher-frequency-side stop band.That is, the sharpness of the attenuation characteristics in thehigh-frequency-side stop band is significantly affected depending onwhich point outside the signal pass band the anti-resonant frequency fasof the series resonators 101 to 105 is set to.

When a high-frequency signal is input to the transmission filter 11 fromthe transmission input terminal 10, a potential difference occursbetween the transmission input terminal 10 and the reference terminal.This causes the piezoelectric substrate 5 to distort and generates asurface acoustic wave that propagates in the X-axis direction. Only ahigh-frequency signal including a desired frequency component passesthrough the transmission filter 11 if the pitch λ of the IDT electrodes101 a and 101 b is set equal or substantially equal to the wavelength ofthe pass band.

High-frequency transmission characteristics and impedancecharacteristics of the multiplexer 1 according to the first preferredembodiment will be described below by comparing the multiplexer 1according to the first preferred embodiment with a multiplexer accordingto a comparative example.

High-frequency transmission characteristics of the multiplexer 1according to the first preferred embodiment will be described below incomparison with high-frequency transmission characteristics of amultiplexer according to a comparative example.

The multiplexer according to the comparative example includes thefollowing features. In contrast to the multiplexer 1 according to thefirst preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the inductance element31 is not connected between ground defining and functioning as thereference terminal and the connection path of the common terminal 50 andthe antenna element 2; instead, an inductance element is connected inseries between the common terminal 50 and the antenna element 2.

FIG. 7A is a graph in which band pass characteristics of the Band 25transmission filter 11 according to the first preferred embodiment arecompared with band pass characteristics of a Band 25 transmission filteraccording to the comparative example. FIG. 7B is a graph in which bandpass characteristics of the Band 25 reception filter 12 according to thefirst preferred embodiment are compared with band pass characteristicsof a Band 25 reception filter according to the comparative example. FIG.7C is a graph in which band pass characteristics of the Band 66transmission filter 13 according to the first preferred embodiment arecompared with band pass characteristics of a Band 66 transmission filteraccording to the comparative example. FIG. 7D is a graph in which bandpass characteristics of the Band 66 reception filter 14 according to thefirst preferred embodiment are compared with band pass characteristicsof a Band 25 reception filter according to the comparative example.

FIGS. 7A to 7D indicate that insertion loss in the pass bands of themultiplexer 1 according to the first preferred embodiment issignificantly improved compared to insertion loss in the pass bands ofthe multiplexer according to the comparative example for transmissionand reception in Band 25 and transmission and reception in Band 66.Further, the figures indicate that the multiplexer 1 according to thefirst preferred embodiment meets the requirements in the pass bands(transmission insertion loss is less than or equal to about 2.0 dB andreception insertion loss is less than or equal to about 3.0 dB) in thetransmission and reception frequency bands of Band 25 and the receptionfrequency band of Band 66.

On the other hand, the multiplexer according to the comparative exampledoes not meet the requirements in the pass bands for transmission andreception in Band 25.

As described above, the multiplexer 1 according to the first preferredembodiment significantly reduces insertion loss in the pass band of eachfilter included in the multiplexer 1 even if the number of bands and thenumber of modes to be supported increase.

Impedance matching in the multiplexer 1 will be described belowincluding reasons why the multiplexer 1 according to the first preferredembodiment is able to implement low insertion loss in the pass bands.

FIGS. 8A and 8B are a Smith chart illustrating complex impedance viewedfrom the transmission output terminal 61 of the Band 25 transmissionfilter 11 according to the first preferred embodiment alone and a Smithchart illustrating complex impedance viewed from the reception inputterminal 62 of the Band 25 reception filter 12 according to the firstpreferred embodiment alone, respectively. In addition, FIGS. 8C and 8Dare a Smith chart illustrating complex impedance viewed from thetransmission output terminal 63 of the Band 66 transmission filter 13according to the first preferred embodiment alone and a Smith chartillustrating complex impedance viewed from the reception input terminal64 of the Band 66 reception filter 14 according to the first preferredembodiment alone, respectively.

In the multiplexer 1 according to the first preferred embodiment,complex impedance in the frequency region outside the pass band isdesigned to be located on the open side in the impedance characteristicsof the transmission filters 11 and 13 and the reception filter 14 alone.Specifically, complex impedance of an out-of-pass-band region B_(out11)of the transmission filter 11 to which the inductance element 21 is notconnected, complex impedance of an out-of-pass-band region B_(out13) ofthe transmission filter 13 to which the inductance element 21 is notconnected, and complex impedance of an out-of-pass-band region B_(out14)of the reception filter 14 to which the inductance element 21 is notconnected are located on substantially the open side in FIGS. 8A, 8C,and 8D, respectively. To implement these complex impedance arrangements,series resonators instead of parallel resonators are connected to thecommon terminal 50 in the three filters.

On the other hand, a parallel resonator is connected to the commonterminal 50 in the reception filter 12 to which the inductance element21 is connected. Therefore, complex impedance of an out-of-pass-bandregion B_(out12) of the reception filter 12 is located on substantiallythe short side as illustrated in FIG. 8B. The purpose of arranging thecomplex impedance of the out-of-pass-band region B_(out12) on the shortside will be described later.

FIG. 9 illustrates a Smith chart (left) of complex impedance viewed fromthe common terminal 50 of a circuit alone in which all the filters otherthan the Band 25 reception filter 12 according to the first preferredembodiment are connected to the common terminal 50 to be in parallel toone another and a Smith chart (right) of complex impedance viewed fromthe common terminal of a circuit alone in which the Band 25 receptionfilter according to the first preferred embodiment and the inductanceelement 21 are connected in series to each other.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, the complex impedance in a predetermined passband provided by viewing the reception filter 12 alone through theinductance element 21 in a state where the inductance element 21 and thereception input terminal of the reception filter 12 are connected inseries to each other and the complex impedance in the predetermined passband provided by viewing the transmission filters 11 and 13 and thereception filter 14 from terminals that are closer to the antennaelement 2 among the input terminals and the output terminals of thetransmission filters 11 and 13 and the reception filter 14 and that areconnected to the common terminal 50 in a state where the terminals areconnected to the common terminal 50 generally provide a relationshipclose to complex conjugates. That is, impedance matching is provided ifthe two complex impedances are combined, and consequently compleximpedance of the combined circuit is located close to the characteristicimpedance.

Note that complex impedances of two circuits with a relationship ofcomplex conjugates also includes a relationship in which the signs ofcomplex components of the complex impedances are opposite and is notlimited to the case where absolute values of the complex components areequal or substantially equal to each other. That is, in the firstpreferred embodiment, the relationship of complex conjugates includes arelationship in which the complex impedance of one of the circuits islocated on a capacitive side (in a lower half of the Smith chart) andthe complex impedance of the other circuit is located on an inductiveside (in an upper half of the Smith chart).

The purpose of arranging the complex impedance of the out-of-pass-bandregion B_(out12) of the reception filter 12 on the short side asillustrated in FIG. 8B is to shift the complex impedance of theout-of-pass-band region B_(out12) (the pass bands of the transmissionfilters 11 and 13 and the reception filter 14) to a position thatimplements the relationship of complex conjugates by including theinductance element 21. In this case, the inductance element 21 includesan inductance value of about 5.9 nH, for example.

If the complex impedance of the out-of-pass-band region B_(out12) of thereception filter 12 is located on the open side, the complex impedanceof the out-of-pass-band region B_(out12) is preferably shifted to theposition that implements the relationship of complex conjugates byincluding the inductance element 21 with a higher inductance value.Since the inductance element 21 is connected in series to the receptionfilter 12, insertion loss in the pass band of the reception filter 12increases as the inductance value increases. However, the inductancevalue of the inductance element 21 is able to be significantly reducedby arranging the complex impedance of the out-of-pass-band regionB_(out12) on the short side by including the parallel resonator 251 asin the reception filter 12 according to the first preferred embodiment.Thus, insertion loss in the pass band is significantly reduced.

FIG. 10A is a Smith chart illustrating complex impedance provided byviewing the multiplexer 1 according to the first preferred embodimentfrom the common terminal 50. That is, the complex impedance illustratedin FIG. 10A is complex impedance viewed from the common terminal 50 ofthe multiplexer 1 that is provided by combining the two circuitsillustrated in FIG. 9 together. As a result of arranging the compleximpedances of the two circuits illustrated in FIG. 9 to provide therelationship of complex conjugates, the complex impedance of thecombined circuit approaches the characteristic impedance in the fourpass bands and impedance matching is implemented.

FIG. 10B is a Smith chart illustrating complex impedance viewed from theantenna element 2 in the case where the inductance element 31 isconnected between the reference terminal and the connection path of theantenna element 2 and the common terminal 50 of the multiplexer 1according to the first preferred embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 10A,the complex impedance is shifted toward the capacitive side and towardthe short side from the characteristic impedance in the circuit providedby combining together the two circuits whose complex impedances areincluded in the relationship of complex conjugates.

In contrast, the complex impedance of the multiplexer 1 viewed from thecommon terminal 50 is adjusted by connecting the inductance element 31between the reference terminal and the connection path of the commonterminal 50 and the antenna element 2. In this case, the inductanceelement 31 includes an inductance value of about 5.6 nH, for example.

Now, a range in which impedance matching is successfully provided byconnecting the inductance element 31 between the reference terminal andthe connection path of the common terminal 50 and the antenna element 2will be described. FIG. 11 is a Smith chart illustrating a range ofcomplex impedance viewed from the antenna element 2 in the case wherethe inductance element 31 is connected between the reference terminaland the connection path of the antenna element 2 and the common terminal50 of the multiplexer 1 according to the first preferred embodiment.

The range in which impedance matching is successfully provided byconnecting the inductance element 31 between the reference terminal andthe connection path of the common terminal 50 and the antenna element 2is limited to the range of a region P illustrated in FIG. 11.Specifically, the range in which impedance matching is successfullyprovided is the region P that is shifted toward the capacitive side andtoward the short side from the characteristic impedance. As describedbelow, complex impedances in this region P approach the characteristicimpedance counterclockwise in the Smith chart as a result of connectingthe inductance element 31. Thus, the complex impedance in the pass bandof each filter included in the multiplexer 1 is successfully adjusted tomatch the characteristic impedance easily without degrading theinsertion loss of the filter.

In FIG. 11, a portion near the upper left boundary of the region Pindicates the case where the real part R of the characteristic impedanceR+jX [Ω] (described later) is equal or substantially equal to about 40Ω,and a portion near the lower right boundary of the region P indicatesthe case where the real part R of the characteristic impedance R+jX [Ω]is equal or substantially equal to about 60Ω.

Values of the complex impedance included in the region P will bedescribed specifically below.

FIG. 12 is a graph illustrating insertion loss of the transmissionfilter 11 when the real part R of the characteristic impedance R+jX [Ω]is changed in the multiplexer 1 according to the first preferredembodiment. The insertion loss of the transmission filter 11 ispreferably less than or equal to, for example, about 2 dB in view of areduction in power consumption of a power amplifier (not illustrated)and significant improvement in the electric power handling capacity ofthe filter of the multiplexer 1. According to FIG. 12, the value of thereal part R of the characteristic impedance R+jX [Ω] that provides aninsertion loss of about 2 dB or less is about 38Ω to about 62Ω.Accordingly, the insertion loss is less than or equal to about 2 dB ifthe real part R of the characteristic impedance R+jX [Ω] is at leastgreater than or equal to about 40Ω and is less than or equal to about60Ω (about 40≤R≤about 60).

A range of the value of the imaginary part X of the characteristicimpedance R+jX [Ω] when the real part R of the characteristic impedanceR+jX [Ω] is set in a range from about 40Ω to about 60Ω will be describednext. FIGS. 13A to 13C are Smith charts illustrating complex impedanceviewed from the common terminal 50 of the multiplexer 1 according to thefirst preferred embodiment when the real part R of the characteristicimpedance R+jX [Ω] is set to about 40Ω, about 50Ω, and about 60Ω,respectively, and the capacitance value of the filter is changed.

A change in the characteristic impedance provided by changing thecapacitance value of the filter to five values is checked in each of thecases where the real part R of the characteristic impedance R+jX [Ω] isset to about 40Ω, about 50Ω, and about 60Ω. Consequently, trajectoriesillustrated in FIGS. 13A and 13C are provided. In each of FIGS. 13A to13C, the trajectory closest to the short side indicates the case wherethe inductance value is the smallest, and the trajectories closer to theopen side indicates the cases where the inductance value is increasedmore. The value of the imaginary part X of the characteristic impedanceR+jX [Ω] in the range of the trajectories is checked. The smallest valueof the imaginary part X is about −40Ω. The value of the imaginary part Xof the characteristic impedance R+jX [Ω] is less than about 0Ω sinceimpedance matching is provided by connecting the inductance element 31between the reference terminal and the connection path of the commonterminal 50 and the antenna element 2. That is, the value of theimaginary part X of the characteristic impedance R+jX [Ω] is greaterthan or equal to about −40Ω and is less than about 0Ω (about −40≤X<about0).

The characteristic impedance R+jX [Ω] viewed from the common terminal 50of all the filters that are connected together via the common terminal50 is preferably set in a range of, for example, about 40≤R≤about 60 andabout −40≤X<about 0 in order to provide a preferred insertion loss onthe assumption that impedance matching is provided by connecting theinductance element 31 between the reference terminal and the connectionpath of the common terminal 50 and the antenna element 2. In this way,impedance matching is successfully provided without degrading insertionlosses of the transmission filters 11 and 13 and the reception filters12 and 14.

As described above, in the multiplexer 1 according to the firstpreferred embodiment, (1) the inductance element 21 is connected inseries between the reception filter 12 and the common terminal 50, (2)the inductance element 31 is connected between the reference terminaland the connection path of the common terminal 50 and the antennaelement 2, (3) the parallel resonator 251 is connected to the receptioninput terminal 62 of the reception filter 12, and (4) the seriesresonators 105, 304, and 405 are connected to the transmission outputterminal 61 of the transmission filter 11, the transmission outputterminal 63 of the transmission filter 13, and the reception inputterminal 64 of the reception filter 14, respectively.

With the features described above, complex impedance viewed from thecommon terminal 50 of the circuit alone in which the inductance element21 and the reception filter 12 are connected in series and compleximpedance viewed from the common terminal 50 of the circuit alone inwhich all the filters other than the reception filter 12 are connectedto the common terminal 50 to be in parallel to one another provide therelationship of complex conjugates. As a result, the complex impedanceviewed from the common terminal 50 of the multiplexer 1 including acombined circuit of the two circuits described above is successfullyadjusted to match the characteristic impedance easily while implementinglow insertion loss in the pass bands. In addition, the complex impedanceviewed from the common terminal 50 of the multiplexer 1 is successfullyadjusted toward the inductive side by connecting the inductance element31 between the reference terminal and the connection path of the commonterminal 50 and the antenna element 2.

Since the inductance element 31 is not connected in series between thecommon terminal 50 and the antenna element 2 but is connected betweenthe reference terminal and the connection path of the common terminal 50and the antenna element 2, no resistance component is connected inseries to each of the filters. Thus, the influence of the Q factor ofthe inductance element 31 on impedance matching is small. Consequently,insertion losses in pass bands of elastic wave filters included in amultiplexer are significantly reduced even when an inductance elementwith a low Q factor is included.

Second Preferred Embodiment

In the multiplexer 1 described above, the reception filter 14 with thehighest center frequency among the transmission filters 11 and 13 andthe reception filter 14 other than the reception filter 12 to which theinductance element 21 is connected among the plurality of SAW filters 11to 14 may include the shortest wiring in the mounting substrate 6, andthe transmission filter 13 with the lowest center frequency among thetransmission filters 11 and 13 and the reception filter 14 other thanthe reception filter 12 to which the inductance element 21 is connectedmay include the longest wiring in the mounting substrate 6. Thereception filter 14 with the highest center frequency defines andfunctions as a first filter, and the transmission filter 13 with thelowest center frequency defines and functions as a second filter.

In the multiplexer 1 described above, the piezoelectric substrates 11 a,12 a, 13 a, and 14 a are mounted on the mounting substrate 6 asillustrated in FIG. 5A. More specifically, the piezoelectric substrates11 a and 14 a are located side by side with the common terminal 50interposed therebetween to be close to one end of the mounting substrate6 that is closest to the common terminal 50. In addition, thepiezoelectric substrates 12 a and 13 a are located side by side to beclose to another end opposing the one end that is closest to the commonterminal 50. That is, the piezoelectric substrates 11 a and 14 a arelocated closer to the common terminal 50 than the piezoelectricsubstrates 12 a and 13 a.

With this arrangement, a wiring extending from the piezoelectricsubstrate 14 a disposed to be close to the one end where the commonterminal 50 is located to the via 8 a connected to the common terminal50 is shorter than a wiring extending from the piezoelectric substrate13 a to the via 8 a connected to the common terminal 50 in the mountingsubstrate 6. That is, the wiring disposed between the reception filter14 with the highest center frequency and the common terminal 50 isshorter than the wiring disposed between the transmission filter 13 withthe lowest center frequency and the common terminal 50.

As a result, the multiplexer 1 is able to implement good impedancematching at the common terminal 50 connected to the antenna element 2and good insertion loss of the reception filter 14 with the highestcenter frequency as described below.

Advantageous effects provided when the wiring disposed between thereception filter 14 and the common terminal 50 is shorter than thewiring disposed between the transmission filter 13 and the commonterminal 50 will be described. A multiplexer 1 a is provided as acomparative example below, and a description will be provided bycomparing the multiplexer 1 with the multiplexer 1 a.

First, features of the multiplexer 1 a according to the comparativeexample will be described in terms of differences from the features ofthe multiplexer 1. FIG. 14 is a plan view illustrating an example of anarrangement of the piezoelectric substrates 11 a, 13 a, 12 a, and 14 arespectively included in the transmission filters 11 and 13 and thereception filters 12 and 14 of the multiplexer 1 a according to thecomparative example. FIGS. 15A to 15D are plan views illustrating wiringpatterns of the multiplexer 1 a according to the comparative example onone layer and other layers of a mounting substrate.

A difference of the multiplexer 1 a from the multiplexer 1 is that awiring disposed between the reception filter 14 with the highest centerfrequency and the common terminal 50 is longer than a wiring disposedbetween the transmission filter 13 with the lowest center frequency andthe common terminal 50.

Specifically, the piezoelectric substrates 11 a and 13 a respectivelyincluded in the transmission filters 11 and 13 and the piezoelectricsubstrates 12 a and 14 a respectively included in the reception filters12 and 14 are mounted on the mounting substrate 6 in the multiplexer 1a. The mounting substrate 6 includes the first layer 6 a, the secondlayer 6 b, the third layer 6 c, and the fourth layer 6 d as illustratedin FIGS. 15A to 15D. The wiring pattern 7 a and the via 8 a are disposedon the first layer 6 a. The wiring pattern 7 b and the via 8 b aredisposed on the second layer 6 b. The wiring pattern 7 c and the via 8 care disposed on the third layer 6 c. The wiring pattern 7 d and the via8 d are disposed on the fourth layer 6 d.

In the multiplexer 1 a, the piezoelectric substrates 12 a and 13 a arelocated side by side with the common terminal 50 interposed therebetweento be close to one end of the mounting substrate 6 that is closest tothe common terminal 50 as illustrated in FIG. 14. In addition, thepiezoelectric substrates 11 a and 14 a are located side by side to beclose to another end of the mounting substrate 6 opposing the one endthat is closest to the common terminal 50. That is, the piezoelectricsubstrates 12 a and 13 a are located closer to the common terminal 50than the piezoelectric substrates 11 a and 14 a.

With the arrangement described above, the wiring that extends from thepiezoelectric substrate 13 a located close to the one end of themounting substrate 6 at which the common terminal 50 is disposed to thevia 8 a connected to the common terminal 50 is shorter than the wiringthat extends from the piezoelectric substrate 14 a to the via 8 aconnected to the common terminal 50 on the first layer 6 a illustratedin FIG. 15A. That is, the wiring disposed between the reception filter14 with the highest center frequency and the common terminal 50 islonger than the wiring disposed between the transmission filter 13 withthe lowest center frequency and the common terminal 50.

FIG. 16A is a graph in which band pass characteristics of the Band 25transmission filter 11 according to the second preferred embodiment arecompared with band pass characteristics of the Band 25 transmissionfilter according to the comparative example. FIG. 16B is a graph inwhich band pass characteristics of the Band 25 reception filter 12according to the second preferred embodiment are compared with band passcharacteristics of the Band 25 reception filter according to thecomparative example. FIG. 16C is a graph in which band passcharacteristics of the Band 66 transmission filter 13 according to thesecond preferred embodiment are compared with band pass characteristicsof the Band 66 transmission filter according to the comparative example.FIG. 16D is a graph in which band pass characteristics of the Band 66reception filter 14 according to the second preferred embodiment arecompared with band pass characteristics of the Band 66 reception filteraccording to the comparative example.

As illustrated in FIGS. 16A to 16D, the multiplexer 1 providessignificantly improved band pass characteristics compared to themultiplexer 1 a. In particular, insertion loss of the Band receptionfilter 14 with the highest center frequency is significantly reduced,and band pass characteristics are significantly improved. In addition,there is substantially no difference in insertion loss between the Band66 transmission filter 13 with the lowest center frequency of themultiplexer 1 according to the second preferred embodiment and that ofthe multiplexer 1 a according to the comparative example. Further,insertion losses of the Band 25 transmission filter 11 and the Band 25reception filter 12 are significantly reduced, and band passcharacteristics are significantly improved.

FIGS. 17A and 17B are Smith charts illustrating complex impedancesviewed from the transmission output terminals 61 of the Band 25transmission filters 11 alone of the multiplexers 1 and 1 a,respectively. FIGS. 18A and 18B are Smith charts illustrating compleximpedances viewed from the reception input terminals 62 of the Band 25reception filters 12 alone of the multiplexers 1 and 1 a, respectively.FIGS. 19A and 19B are Smith charts illustrating complex impedancesviewed from the transmission output terminals 63 of the Band 66transmission filters 13 alone of the multiplexers and 1 a, respectively.FIGS. 20A and 20B are Smith charts illustrating complex impedancesviewed from the reception input terminals 64 of the Band 66 receptionfilters 14 alone of the multiplexers 1 and 1 a, respectively.

The complex impedances viewed from the common terminal 50 of thetransmission filters 11 and 13 and the reception filters 12 and 14 ofthe multiplexer 1, which are illustrated in FIGS. 17A, 18A, 19A, and20A, are located closer to the characteristic impedance (about 50Ω)illustrated at the center of the Smith charts than the compleximpedances of the transmission filters 11 and 13 and the receptionfilters 12 and 14 of the multiplexer 1 a according to the comparativeexample, which are illustrated in FIGS. 17B, 18B, 19B, and 20B. Thisthus indicates that significantly improved impedance matching isprovided in the multiplexer 1 compared to the multiplexer 1 a.

As described above, the multiplexer 1 is able to provide significantlyimproved impedance matching at the common terminal 50 and decreaseinsertion loss of the reception filter 14 with the highest centerfrequency by setting the length of the wiring disposed between thereception filter 14 with the highest center frequency and the commonterminal 50 shorter than the length of the wiring disposed between thetransmission filter 13 with the lowest center frequency and the commonterminal 50.

The reason for this will be described below with reference to FIG. 21.FIG. 21 is a Smith chart that describes a change in complex impedanceviewed from the common terminal 50 of the multiplexer 1 when the lengthof the wiring disposed between the common terminal 50 and each of thetransmission filters 11 and 13 and the reception filters 12 and 14 ischanged.

When wirings that connect the common terminal 50 and the transmissionfilters 11 and 13 and the reception filters 12 and 14 to each other areprovided in the mounting substrate 6, impedance viewed from the commonterminal 50 of the transmission filters 11 and 13 and the receptionfilters 12 and 14 changes due to the inductance components of thewirings. Specifically, when complex impedance viewed from the commonterminal 50 is illustrated in a Smith chart, the complex impedanceviewed from the common terminal 50 changes clockwise as indicated by anarrow illustrated in FIG. 21. An amount of this change increases as thecenter frequency of the filter increases even if the lengths of thewirings disposed between the common terminal 50 and the transmissionfilters 11 and 13 and the reception filters 12 and 14 are equal orsubstantially equal to one another.

Since the wiring disposed between the reception filter 14 with thehighest center frequency and the common terminal 50 is longer than thewiring disposed between the transmission filter 13 with the lowestcenter frequency and the common terminal 50 in the multiplexer 1 aaccording to the comparative example, an amount of change in the compleximpedance of the reception filter 14 viewed from the common terminal 50increases. Therefore, differences between the complex impedance of thereception filter 14 viewed from the common terminal 50 and the compleximpedances of the transmission filters 11 and 13 and the receptionfilter 12 viewed from the common terminal 50 increase. Consequently, itbecomes difficult to adjust the complex impedance of the multiplexer 1 aviewed from the common terminal 50 to match the characteristicimpedance.

In contrast, the wiring disposed between the reception filter 14 withthe highest center frequency and the common terminal 50 is shorter thanthe wiring disposed between the transmission filter 13 with the lowestcenter frequency and the common terminal in the multiplexer 1 accordingto the second preferred embodiment. Thus, differences between thecomplex impedance of the reception filter 14 viewed from the commonterminal 50 and the complex impedances of the transmission filters 11and 13 and the reception filter 12 viewed from the common terminal 50are small, and impedance matching at the common terminal 50significantly improves in the multiplexer 1 compared with themultiplexer 1 a. That is, the complex impedance of the multiplexer 1viewed from the common terminal 50 is successfully adjusted to match thecharacteristic impedance easily.

In particular, the Band 66 reception filter 14 with the highest centerfrequency of the multiplexer 1 provides insertion loss that issignificantly improved compared to that of the multiplexer 1 a asillustrated in FIG. 16D. This is because the influence of a long wiringon insertion loss is small in a filter with the lowest center frequencybut the length of the wiring sensitively affects the insertion loss in afilter with the highest center frequency.

Therefore, a multiplexer that provides good impedance matching at thecommon terminal 50 connected to the antenna element 2 and that providesgood insertion loss of the reception filter 14 with the highest centerfrequency is successfully implemented by decreasing the length of thewiring of the reception filter 14 with the highest center frequency andby increasing the length of the wiring of the transmission filter 13with the lowest center frequency as in the multiplexer 1 according tothe second preferred embodiment.

FIG. 22 is a graph in which band pass characteristics of the Band 66transmission filter 13 according to the second preferred embodiment arecompared with band pass characteristics of the Band 66 transmissionfilter according to the comparative example. When the wiring of thetransmission filter 13 with the lowest center frequency is long, thefrequency of the attenuation pole that occurs on the higher frequencyside of the pass band moves towards the lower frequency side because ofan inductance component in the mounting substrate 6 and a capacitancecomponent that is naturally caused in the mounting substrate 6 asillustrated in FIG. 22. Consequently, isolation characteristics aresignificantly improved between the transmission filter 13 with thelowest center frequency and the other filters with center frequencieshigher than that of the transmission filter 13.

If the wiring disposed between the transmission filter 13 with thelowest center frequency and the common terminal 50 is too long, thewiring becomes a λ/4 transmission line and a standing wave occurs. Thus,the length of the wiring disposed between the transmission filter 13with the lowest frequency and the common terminal 50 in the mountingsubstrate 6 may be less than about λ/4. With the features describedabove, the occurrence of a standing wave in the wiring disposed betweenthe transmission filter 13 with the lowest center frequency and thecommon terminal 50 is significantly reduced or prevented.

Other Modifications

While multiplexers according to preferred embodiments of the presentinvention have been described with respect to the multiplexers includingquadplexers, the present invention is not limited to the above preferredembodiments. For example, the preferred embodiments of the presentinvention include modifications provided by modifying the abovepreferred embodiments as described below and in other ways.

For example, although 50° Y-X LiTaO₃ single crystal is included for thepiezoelectric film 53 of the piezoelectric substrate 5 according to thefirst and second preferred embodiments, the cut-angle of a singlecrystal material is not limited to this value. That is, the cut-angle ofpiezoelectric substrates, which are LiTaO₃ substrates, of SAW filtersincluded in the multiplexers according to the preferred embodiments isnot limited to 50° Y. Even SAW filters including a LiTaO₃ piezoelectricsubstrate including a cut-angle other than the above one are able toprovide similar advantageous effects.

The multiplexer 1 according to the preferred embodiments of the presentinvention may include the inductance element 31 that is connectedbetween ground and a path between the antenna element 2 and the commonterminal 50. For example, the multiplexer 1 according to the preferredembodiments of the present invention may include a plurality of SAWfilters with characteristics described above and chip inductanceelements 21 and 31 are mounted on a high-frequency substrate.

In addition, the inductance elements 21 and 31 may be, for example, chipinductors or may be defined by conductor patterns disposed in or on thehigh-frequency substrate.

In addition, multiplexers according to preferred embodiments of thepresent invention are not limited to the quadplexers for Band 25 andBand 66 according to the first and second preferred embodiments.

FIG. 23A is a diagram illustrating a multiplexer according to a firstmodification of the first and second preferred embodiments of thepresent invention. For example, a multiplexer according to preferredembodiments of the present invention may be a hexaplexer that supportssix frequency bands and that is applied to a system in which Band 25,Band 4, and Band 30 each providing a transmission band and a receptionband are included in combination as illustrated in FIG. 23A. In thiscase, the inductance element 21 is connected in series to the Band 25reception filter, and a parallel resonator is connected to the receptioninput terminal of the Band 25 reception filter. Further, no parallelresonator is connected but a series resonator is connected to terminalsof the five filters other than the Band 25 reception filter that areconnected to the common terminal.

FIG. 23B is a diagram illustrating a multiplexer according to a secondmodification of the first and second preferred embodiments of thepresent invention. For example, a multiplexer according to preferredembodiments of the present invention may be a hexaplexer that supportssix frequency bands and that is applied to a system in which Band 1,Band 3, and Band each providing a transmission band and a reception bandare included in combination as illustrated in FIG. 23B. In this case,for example, the inductance element 21 is connected in series to theBand 1 reception filter, and a parallel resonator is connected to thereception input terminal of the Band 1 reception filter. Further, noparallel resonator is connected but a series resonator is connected toterminals of the five filters other than the Band 1 reception filterthat are connected to the common terminal.

As described before, insertion loss in the pass band is significantlyreduced more as the number of elastic wave filters, which arecomponents, increases in multiplexers according to preferred embodimentsof the present invention, compared with multiplexers including matchingmethods of the related art.

Further, multiplexers according to preferred embodiments of the presentinvention need not include a plurality of duplexers that performtransmission and reception. For example, a multiplexer according topreferred embodiments of the present invention may be implemented as atransmission apparatus that provides a plurality of transmissionfrequency bands. That is, a multiplexer according to preferredembodiments of the present invention may be a transmission apparatusthat receives a plurality of high-frequency signals with carrierfrequency bands different from one another, performs filtering on theplurality of high-frequency signals, and wirelessly transmits theresultant signal from a single antenna element. The transmissionapparatus may include a plurality of transmission elastic wave filterseach of which receives the plurality of high-frequency signals from atransmission circuit and passes therethrough a signal of a predeterminedfrequency band; and a common terminal connected to an antenna element bya connection path, a first inductance element being connected betweenthe connection path and a reference terminal. Each of the plurality oftransmission elastic wave filters includes at least one of a seriesresonator that is connected between an input terminal and an outputterminal of the transmission elastic wave filter and that includes IDTelectrodes disposed on a piezoelectric substrate, and a parallelresonator that is connected between the reference terminal and anelectrical path connecting the input terminal and the output terminal toeach other and that includes IDT electrodes disposed on thepiezoelectric substrate. In addition, an output terminal of onetransmission elastic wave filter among the plurality of transmissionelastic wave filters is connected to the common terminal with a secondinductance element, which is connected to the output terminal and thecommon terminal, interposed therebetween, and is connected to theparallel resonator. On the other hand, each of output terminals of thetransmission elastic wave filters other than the one transmissionelastic wave filter is connected to the common terminal and is connectedto the series resonator among the series resonator and the parallelresonator.

Further, a multiplexer according to preferred embodiments of the presentinvention may be implemented as a reception apparatus that provides aplurality of reception frequency bands. That is, a multiplexer accordingto preferred embodiments of the present invention may be a receptionapparatus that receives, via an antenna element, a plurality ofhigh-frequency signals with carrier frequency bands different from oneanother, performs demultiplexing on the plurality of high-frequencysignals, and outputs the resultant signals to a reception circuit. Thereception apparatus may include a plurality of reception elastic wavefilters each of which receives the plurality of high-frequency signalsfrom the antenna element and passes therethrough a signal of apredetermined frequency band; and a common terminal that is connected toan antenna element by a connection path, a first inductance elementbeing connected between the connection path and a reference terminal.Each of the plurality of reception elastic wave filters includes atleast one of a series resonator that is connected between an inputterminal and an output terminal of the reception elastic wave filter andthat includes IDT electrodes disposed on a piezoelectric substrate and aparallel resonator that is connected between the reference terminal andan electrical path connecting the input terminal and the output terminalto each other and that includes IDT electrodes disposed on thepiezoelectric substrate. In addition, an input terminal of one receptionelastic wave filter among the plurality of reception elastic wavefilters is connected to a common terminal with a second inductanceelement, which is connected to the input terminal and the commonterminal, interposed therebetween and is connected to the parallelresonator. On the other hand, each of input terminals of the receptionelastic wave filters other than the one reception elastic wave filter isconnected to the common terminal and is connected to the seriesresonator among the series resonator and the parallel resonator.

The transmission apparatus and the reception apparatus including thefeatures described above also provide advantageous effects similar tothose of the multiplexer 1 according to the first and second preferredembodiments.

In addition, preferred embodiments of the present invention are embodiednot only as a multiplexer, a transmission apparatus, and a receptionapparatus that include elastic wave filters and inductance elements withcharacteristics described above but also as an impedance matching methodfor a multiplexer including the characteristic elements described aboveas steps thereof.

FIG. 24 is an operation flowchart describing an impedance matchingmethod for a multiplexer according to a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

The impedance matching method for a multiplexer according to a preferredembodiment of the present invention includes (1) a step (S10) ofadjusting a plurality of elastic wave filters that provides, when oneelastic wave filter (elastic wave filter A) among a plurality of elasticwave filters with pass bands different from one another is viewed fromone of an input terminal and an output terminal of the one elastic wavefilter, a complex impedance in the pass bands of the other elastic wavefilters is in a short state and, when each of the other elastic wavefilters (elastic wave filters B) other than the one elastic wave filteris viewed from one of an input terminal and an output terminal of theother elastic wave filter, complex impedance in the pass band of theother elastic wave filter is in an open state; (2) a step (S20) ofadjusting an inductance value of a filter-adjustment inductance elementthat provides the complex impedance when the one elastic wave filter(elastic wave filter A) is viewed from the filter-adjustment inductanceelement side in the case where the filter-adjustment inductance elementis connected in series to the one elastic wave filter and the compleximpedance obtained when each of the other elastic wave filters (elasticwave filters B) is viewed from a common terminal side in the case wherethe other elastic wave filters other than the one elastic wave filterare connected to the common terminal to be in parallel to one anotherprovide a relationship of complex conjugates; and (3) a step (S30) ofadjusting an inductance value of an antenna-adjustment inductanceelement connected between a reference terminal and a connection path ofan antenna element and the common terminal that provides a compleximpedance, viewed from the common terminal, of a combined circuit inwhich the one elastic wave filter (elastic wave filter A) is connectedto the common terminal with the filter-adjustment inductance elementinterposed therebetween and the other elastic wave filters (elastic wavefilters B) are connected to the common terminal to be in parallel to oneanother matches characteristic impedance. In addition, (4) in the stepof adjusting the plurality of elastic wave filters, among the pluralityof elastic wave filters each of which includes at least one of a seriesresonator that is connected between the input terminal and the outputterminal of the elastic wave filter and that includes IDT electrodesdisposed on a piezoelectric substrate, and a parallel resonator that isconnected between the reference terminal and an electrical pathconnecting the input terminal and the output terminal to each other andthat includes IDT electrodes disposed on the piezoelectric substrate,the parallel resonator is connected to the filter-adjustment inductanceelement in the one elastic wave filter and the series resonator amongthe parallel resonator and the series resonator is connected to thecommon terminal in each of the other elastic wave filters.

With the features described above, insertion loss in a pass band of eachfilter is significantly reduced even when an inductance element with alow Q factor is included.

In addition, in the preferred embodiments described above, SAW filtersincluding IDT electrodes are described as examples of the transmissionfilters and the reception filters of the multiplexer including aquadplexer, the transmission apparatus, and the reception apparatus.However, filters of the multiplexer including a quadplexer, thetransmission apparatus, and the reception apparatus according to thepreferred embodiments of the present invention may be elastic wavefilters that include series resonators and parallel resonators and thatuse boundary acoustic waves and bulk acoustic waves (BAW). With thefilters described above, advantageous effects similar to those providedby the multiplexer including a quadplexer, the transmission apparatus,and the reception apparatus according to the preferred embodiments arealso provided.

In addition, the arrangement in which the inductance element 21 isconnected in series to the reception filter 12 in the multiplexer 1according to the above preferred embodiments has been described.However, the present invention also encompasses an arrangement in whichthe inductance element 21 is connected in series to the transmissionfilter 11 or 13 or the reception filter 14. That is, a multiplexeraccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes aplurality of elastic wave filters with pass bands different from oneanother; a common terminal connected to an antenna element by aconnection path, a first inductance element being connected in series tothe connection path; and a second inductance element, in which an outputterminal of a transmission filter among the plurality of elastic wavefilters may be connected to a parallel resonator and connected to thecommon terminal with the second inductance element interposedtherebetween, the second inductance element being connected to theoutput terminal and the common terminal; and each of terminals close tothe antenna element among input terminals and output terminals ofelastic wave filters other than the transmission filter may be connectedto the common terminal and connected to a series resonator among theseries resonator and the parallel resonator. With the features describedabove, a low-loss multiplexer is able to be provided even if the numberof bands and the number of modes to be supported increase.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are widely applied tocommunication devices, for example, cellular phones as a low-lossmultiplexer, transmission apparatus, or reception apparatus that isapplicable to multiband and multimode frequency standards.

While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been describedabove, it is to be understood that variations and modifications will beapparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scopeand spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention,therefore, is to be determined solely by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A multiplexer that transmits and receives aplurality of high-frequency signals via an antenna element, themultiplexer comprising: a plurality of elastic wave filters that havepass bands different from one another; and a common terminal that isconnected to the antenna element by a connection path, a firstinductance element being connected between the connection path and areference terminal; wherein each of the plurality of elastic wavefilters includes at least one of a series resonator connected between aninput terminal and an output terminal of each of the plurality ofelastic wave filters, and a parallel resonator connected between thereference terminal and a connection path connecting the input terminaland the output terminal to each other; a terminal closer to the antennaelement among the input terminal and the output terminal of one elasticwave filter among the plurality of elastic wave filters is connected tothe parallel resonator and is connected to the common terminal with asecond inductance element interposed therebetween; a terminal closer tothe antenna element among the input terminal and the output terminal ofeach of other elastic wave filters other than the one elastic wavefilter among the plurality of elastic wave filters is connected to thecommon terminal and the series resonator; and the plurality of elasticwave filters includes a transmission filter comprising: a plurality ofseries resonators connected in series to one another between the inputterminal and the output terminal of the transmission filter; a pluralityof parallel resonators connected between the reference terminal andrespective nodes between the plurality of series resonators to be inparallel with one another; a third inductance element connected betweenthe reference terminal and a node that is directly connected to at leasttwo of the plurality of parallel resonators of the transmission filter;and a fourth inductance element connected between the reference terminaland one of the plurality of parallel resonators of the transmissionfilter different from the at least two of the plurality of parallelresonators of the transmission filter; wherein the transmission filteris a ladder band pass filter.
 2. The multiplexer according to claim 1,wherein the transmission filter further comprises a fifth inductanceelement connected in series between the input terminal of thetransmission filter and one of the plurality of series resonators of thetransmission filter.
 3. The multiplexer according to claim 2, whereinthe input terminal of the transmission filter is directly connected tothe fifth inductance element.
 4. The multiplexer according to claim 1,wherein the output terminal of the transmission filter is directlyconnected to one of the plurality of series resonators of thetransmission filter.
 5. The multiplexer according to claim 1, whereinthe transmission filter receives a transmission wave via the inputterminal of the transmission filter, performs filtering on thetransmission wave by a transmission pass band of Band 25, and outputsthe filtered transmission wave via the output terminal of thetransmission filter.
 6. The multiplexer according to claim 1, whereinthe transmission filter receives a transmission wave via the inputterminal of the transmission filter, performs filtering on thetransmission wave by a transmission pass band of Band 66, and outputsthe filtered transmission wave via the output terminal of thetransmission filter.
 7. A multiplexer that transmits and receives aplurality of high-frequency signals via an antenna element, themultiplexer comprising: a plurality of elastic wave filters that havepass bands different from one another; and a common terminal that isconnected to the antenna element by a connection path, a firstinductance element being connected between the connection path and areference terminal; wherein each of the plurality of elastic wavefilters includes at least one of a series resonator connected between aninput terminal and an output terminal of each of the plurality ofelastic wave filters, and a parallel resonator connected between thereference terminal and a connection path connecting the input terminaland the output terminal to each other; a terminal closer to the antennaelement among the input terminal and the output terminal of one elasticwave filter among the plurality of elastic wave filters is connected tothe parallel resonator and is connected to the common terminal with asecond inductance element interposed therebetween; a terminal closer tothe antenna element among the input terminal and the output terminal ofeach of other elastic wave filters other than the one elastic wavefilter among the plurality of elastic wave filters is connected to thecommon terminal and the series resonator; and the plurality of elasticwave filters includes a reception filter comprising: a series resonatorconnected between the input terminal and the output terminal of thereception filter; a longitudinally-coupled filter unit connected betweenthe series resonator and the output terminal of the reception filter; aplurality of parallel resonators connected in parallel between thereference terminal and a connection path that connects the inputterminal and the output terminal of the reception filter to each other;wherein the series resonator and the plurality of parallel resonators ofthe reception filter define a ladder filter.
 8. The multiplexeraccording to claim 7, wherein the longitudinally-coupled filter unitincludes: an input port; an output port; a plurality of interdigitaltransducers (IDTs) each defined by a pair of IDT electrodes that opposeeach other; and a pair of reflectors that sandwich the plurality of IDTsin a direction in which a surface acoustic wave propagates.
 9. Themultiplexer according to claim 8, wherein first, second, and third IDTsof the plurality of IDTs are connected between the input port of thelongitudinally-coupled filter unit and the reference terminal to be inparallel to one another; and fourth and fifth IDTs of the plurality ofIDTs are connected between the output port of the longitudinally-coupledfilter unit and the reference terminal to be in parallel to each other.10. The multiplexer according to claim 7, wherein the reception filterreceives a reception wave input at the input terminal of the receptionfilter, performs filtering on the reception wave by a reception passband of Band 25, and outputs the filtered reception wave at the outputterminal of the reception filter.
 11. A multiplexer that transmits andreceives a plurality of high-frequency signals via an antenna element,the multiplexer comprising: a plurality of elastic wave filters thathave pass bands different from one another; and a common terminal thatis connected to the antenna element by a connection path, a firstinductance element being connected between the connection path and areference terminal; wherein each of the plurality of elastic wavefilters includes at least one of a series resonator connected between aninput terminal and an output terminal of each of the plurality ofelastic wave filters, and a parallel resonator connected between thereference terminal and a connection path connecting the input terminaland the output terminal to each other; a terminal closer to the antennaelement among the input terminal and the output terminal of one elasticwave filter among the plurality of elastic wave filters is connected tothe parallel resonator and is connected to the common terminal with asecond inductance element interposed therebetween; a terminal closer tothe antenna element among the input terminal and the output terminal ofeach of other elastic wave filters other than the one elastic wavefilter among the plurality of elastic wave filters is connected to thecommon terminal and the series resonator; and the plurality of elasticwave filters includes a reception filter comprising: a plurality ofseries resonators connected in series to one another between the inputterminal and the output terminal of the reception filter; a plurality ofparallel resonators connected between the reference terminal andrespective nodes between the plurality of series resonators of thereception filter to be in parallel with one another; a third inductanceelement connected between the reference terminal and a node that isdirectly connected to three of the plurality of parallel resonators ofthe reception filter; wherein the reception filter is a ladder band passfilter.
 12. The multiplexer according to claim 11, wherein, in thereception filter, one of the plurality of parallel resonators other thanthe three parallel resonators of the reception filter is directlyconnected between the reference terminal and one of the respective nodesof the reception filter.
 13. The multiplexer according to claim 11,wherein the reception filter receives a reception wave input at theinput terminal of the reception filter, performs filtering on thereception wave by a reception pass band of Band 66, and outputs thefiltered reception wave at the output terminal of the reception filter.